Alarm System Good Enough?
 

Hi,

I just bought a new 06 RX-8, but I'm a bit worried about parking it in my sketchy neighborhood. I got the alarm sensor upgrade but is the stock alarm system any good? I'd hate to have to carry around an additional alarm keychain, but I will if the standard system isn't that good.

Thanks

When I got mine, the dealer had an additional alarm for $500.00 already installed. I baulked and they took it down to theri cost, 295. When I got home, I read the pamplet over and compared it to the stock alarm and it was totally redundant. There was no new features, so I went back and had it yanked and got my money back. The key is coded so stealing without a flatbed is about the only way to get the car.

If you're going to get something else, get lojack. Anything else is just redundant to what you already have.

Mike

Welcome to the club. Enjoy your new ride. I have the Lojack system in mine. It has a fob on the keychain that needs to be with the car when the car moves. So even if someone hacks the key code and takes the car, without the fob lojack will set off. It can call and e-mail/page 5 numbers or addresses.

Bob

yep fresno has the highest car thefts in the country i got lojack thank god i havent needed to use it =D

Im not to worried about my car being stolen where i live, but I was just curious on the prices of a Lojack system. Do you pay monthly, or is it a one time fee like an alarm?

Its a one time payment for the system and they will install it anywhere....I think its a pretty good investment

I have a similar question. Around me i dont really have to worry about having a car stolen (never has happened here). But vandalism is a sure, what alarm systems would be good to draw attention to the car in the process of being vandalized? my bro's modded jetta had its body kit kicked off, flattened tire, keyed on the hood DICK, broke the right rear taillight, an X keyed by the gas cap, the front right tail light bashed in, and they debaged it... wtf? they took a razor to debadge it or sumtin tho and scratched up the paint horribly.

Id suggest getting an alarm with a two-way remote, so that it will notify you if the warning and/or alarm go off. You can set it pretty sensitive so that the slightest touch will set it off. Im sure you would get a bunch of false alarms, like motorcycles going past. but if vandalism is that mcuh of a problem, its probably worth it. I had one from compustar on my old ride, and the two-way remote was really nice. It worked with-in 1000 feet of my car.

Thank you very much

i'm not sure about the "one time fee" thing, because when i bought my 323i the lojack system was for 5 years, upon which i got a renewal letter in the mail. since i didn't renew the fee, they disabled the functionality. personally, i would never get lojack ever again, and i didn't get it on my 8. if one of my cars is stolen and chopped or vandalized, i'd honestly rather it never be found and take the residual value and get a new car altogether. if it's found, then the insurance co. gets to decide whether i have to fix it or not. and, if it's pretty fucked up, i don't think i'd be happy with that. but, that's just me...

I thought so too...I'm actually thinking of getting the system...But don't really know whether its a good investment.....

Is the stock alarm loud? Would someone vandalizing it set off the alarm with the upgraded sensors?

My opinion is that anything that upgrades the stock alarm is worth it. I do not know about you guys but My 8 was coded or glass scratch with the vin number. I had to wait til it was done before delivering the car to me. They told me that it was because I live in South Florida and it scares away thiefs trying to steal the car. They (thiefs) do not want to replace all the windows, too costly for them. Lo jack works, My buddy had his bike (ninja) stolen at night and it was found within 10 minutes perfect (in the back of a pickup truck).

I have LoJack Early Warning too. Last time I got a warning call on my cell I was at the dealership, and I hadn't given the tech the LoJack fob when they worked on it. So it "called" me to check on my car. :)

Maybe you got an older version. It's a one-time fee, but the battery must eventually be replaced. I forget the cost but it's pretty minimal. If you get LoJack Early Warning, the system calls and/or emails you if it's moved without the fob inside. LoJack-installed cars now average being recovered in 30 minutes, so that's not much time if someone tries taking it to a chop-shop. :)

my renewal fee was $500 or something, which is why i let it expire. and, yah- early warning sounds like the way to go if u get the system- 'cuz, if u'r at a ball game or concert and are gone for 3 or 4 hours, by the time u get to ur parking spot and realize ur cars been jacked, it's probably too late by then... even if they activated it then, it could've already been chopped. but, u would know right away if u have early warning.

OK you just got a new car and your in a sketchy neighborhood? Dude I would have the klub a viper alarm and a spot light on my car with a pitbull chained to the car :bootyshak

:rollingla